Philip Jarrett's Friends

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The attempt in Arizona to pass a law permitting discrimination against gays and lesbians by Christians was thwarted by the overwhelming outcry of people in the 'real world.' But the recent Duck…Continue

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"Hi, Bernardo.
For someone's first post you like to get right to it, don't you?
As many of you know, my mother ceased to exist on Saturday, April 19th, 2014 at 10:48 PM...I may have gotten the time wrong on my first post. Her funeral…"

"My mom was just diagnosed with leukemia and she's 68 - not a good combo (I'm also a physician). I'm struggling with this very topic right now myself. I keep wondering about asking everyone to send prayers and…"

"Hi Philip,
I am very sorry for your loss. It's difficult to lose someone so close.
With the chance of seeming glib, maybe your task is really very easy. Relate the wonderful things about your mother - the things that really had nothing to do…"

"I don't know. Sorry for your loss. I would celebrate her life, a moment to talk about those things that you found important, that you would miss plus what the others have said. And for further inspiration, Ingersoll made a final oration at his…"

"Give a patronizing smile. Say thank you, but I don't believe in an afterlife. If they persist, drop the smile and say your mother's funeral service isn't the time and place to discuss their religious beliefs. If they still persist,…"

"All I can tell you is how we handled my father's funeral.
At my father's funeral, my younger brother represented the siblings and he recounted instances of my father's generosity, kindness, tolerance, and love for his children and our…"

"If I were to say something at the funeral, I'd want it to be like "Let's give the loved one(s) who have died the eternity they deserve by keeping them within our memories". I'm sure I wouldn't be able to actually have…"

"I appreciate your input, Steven.
But this is my mother and with her death I can speak freely without worry about how it might reflect on her. I will be polite solely to honor my mother. This is all that is important to me.
But…"

"While I confront people who assume that their beliefs will comfort me often, I don't at funerals. People need to find their comfort where they can. I say "I'm glad that belief brings you comfort as we remember , but I don't share…"

Profile Information

Your Religious Status

Atheist

About Me:

I'm a poet and public speaker. My experiences with religion go way back into the hollers of West Virginia and continue on until around 2010 or so when I made peace with my mortality and discovered once I had acknowledged that one day I would die and cease to exist like... everything else that lives I will die...I discovered I hgad no need to God or supernaturalism.

Age

59-64

Relationship Status

Married

Why are you here?

I'm afraid and alone. I need people to talk to and I'm looking for some new input. I am about to retire this summer and I hope to find a cause I can dedicate myself too now that I will have the time to concentrate.

The religion you left

Christian

Why you left your religion.

I was born in a preacher's family. From the very beginning I had an insider's view of religion. I knew the men who stood in the pulpit and I knew what they were like when they were around another preacher and his family and they could be as natural as preacher's ever are. I left Christianity because I knew it too well.